Synopses & Reviews
Review
"In this useful and well-written account of his crusade against Humeanism, Ellis attacks this ubiquitous worldview on both scientific and metaphysical levels...this book is distictly rewarding for philosophers and scientists alike." Choice Dec 2001"This is an impressive book.... what [Ellis] has presented is a theory of the metaphysical structure of the world..." Philosophy in Review
Synopsis
Defends the view that the fundamental laws of nature depend on the essential properties of the things on which they are said to operate. Ellis argues that ours is a dynamic world consisting of more or less transient objects which are constantly interacting with each other.
Table of Contents
Preface; Introduction; Part I. Concepts: 1. Concepts of scientific essentialism; Part II. Ontology: 2. Natural kinds; 3. Powers and dispositions; Part III. Scientific Explanation: 4. Realism and essentialism in science; 5. Essentialism in the social sciences; Part IV. Laws of Nature: 6. Theories of laws of nature; 7. Natural necessity; Part V. The New Essentialism: 8. The essentialist program; Bibliography; Index.